Door for refrigerating units



May 1, 1934.

R. A. RIE'K DOOR FOR REFRIGERATING UNITS Filed Oct. 2, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l v May 1, 1934.

R. A; RIEK I ,929

DOOR FOR REFRIGERATING UNITS I Filedoct. 2., 1929 2 Sheet-Shegt 2 fiuch hifitklfi mgm Patented May 1, 1934 UNITED "STA 1,956,929 noon FOR nemronnarmc unrrs Rudolph A. Rick,

Rhinclander, Wis. I

Application October 2, 1929, Serial No. 396,767

lclaim.

This invention relates to refrigerators of that type utilizing refrigerating units.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, various means have been devised in the form of shields for partly concealing the refrigerating units. It has been essential, however, that these shields be provided with openings through which trays containing the cubes of ice can be withdrawn. Unless the refrigerating unit is provided with some means whereby it is entirely concealed, the opening of the front door of the refrigerator will set up a suction that will withdraw cold air from that portion of the refrigerator in which the unit is located, thereby materially retarding the refrigerating action. This is particularly true in refrigerators of that type utilizing a single door closing the front of the compartment containing the unit and also one. of the provision compartments.-

It is an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator with a supplemental or inner door adapted to close the front of the compartment containing the refrigerating unit so that when the main door of the refrigerator is opened there will be no suction created that would tend to withdraw cold airfrom about the refrigerating unit.

It is another object to provide a supplemental or inner door which, while normally closed across the front of the compartment in which the unit is located, can nevertheless be opened readily whenever it might be desired to remove cubes or to obtain access to the unit for any other purpose.

A further object is to provide a supplementalor inner door formed of porcelained metal so that when themain door is opened this inner or supplemental door will present an attractive appearance and, at the same time, completely conceal the unit.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it

being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the upper portion of a refrigerator having the present improvements combined therewith, the main ddor of the upper portion being shown open and the inner or supplemental door being shown closed.

Figure2 is a view partly in plan and partly in section showing the refrigerator with both of the said doors closed.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through a portion. of the refrigerator, another portion being shown in elevation, said section illustrating the two doors in closed positions.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the inner or 5 supplemental door viewed from the front thereof.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of said door viewed from the back thereof.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, 1 designates a refrigerator housing and, in the structure illustrated, this housing is provided with an upper provision compartment 2 and an upper compartment ,3 for holding a refrigerating unit 4. These two compartments are separated by a partition 5 which can be of porcelained metal. A transverse ledge 6 also formed of porcelained metal can be extended along the bottom of the compartment 3 at the front thereof. An outer or main door '1 can be hingedly connected to the housing 1 as shown at 8 and, when closed, will extend across the front of the two compartments 2 and 3.

An inner or supplemental door 9 formed of porcelained sheet metal is located back" of the main door '1 and is connected to one side of the door opening by spring hinges 10 whereby this door 9 is held normally closed. The door is reinforced along its top and bottom edges by inwardly extending flanges 11 and, along its vertical edge by an inwardly extended flange 12. Flanges 11 are cut away to form notches 13 so positioned and proportioned as to receive the front of the partition 5 when door 9 is in closed position.-' This is clearly shown in Figure 2. A knob or other suitable device indicated at 14 can be carried by the door 9 to facilitate the opening thereof.

The door is so arranged that, when closed, the lower flange 11 thereof will be supported close to or rest lightly upon the ledge 6 while the upper flange 11 will be supported close to or lightly touch a strip 15 extending inwardly from the top of the door opening. I

As before stated the inner or supplemental door 9 is normally closed. Thus when the main' or outer door '1 is swung open, it will not act to suck air forwardly out of the compartment 3. Circulation of air can continue upwardly through said compartment and thence within the remaining portion of the refrigerator and little, if any, cold air will escape from the structure. The

unit, which is not particularly of an ornamental nature in any type of refrigerator, will remain concealed from view but should it be desired at any time to obtain access to the unit for the purpose oi removing ice cubes, etc.. it would be necessary merely to swing the inner door 9 open after which, by releasing it, it will automatically close and practically seal the front of the compartment 3.

What is claimed is:

The combination with a refrigerator structure having a unit containing compartment and a provision compartment at one side thereof, of a vertical partition between the compartments-a 'being adapted to close against the vertical and horizontal partitions respectively, and means within the unit containing compartment for sealing engagement by the upper flange of the door.

RUDOLPH A. RIEK. 

